On the finish of final autumn, I requested Steven Hitchcock to make an overcoat – it was slightly late to start out enthusiastic about it, however I hoped to have the ability to put on it by the tip of the winter. Sadly my travels and Steven’s received in the way in which, at it was just a few weeks in the past that we had the second becoming, proven right here. 

I used to be to get an overcoat from Steven as a result of I had seen a few English-drape coats on associates over the previous couple of years, and actually admired the fashion. They seemed sensible and chic, with out the drama of items I’ve had from the likes of Cifonelli or Edward Sexton. 

Additionally, this was one of many few coat kinds I hadn’t coated in our Type Breakdown collection, so there was a usefulness past the non-public. I selected Steven as a result of, as described in my piece on my favourite-ever tailors, he has proved to be one of the best and most constant by way of match and end amongst these chopping this fashion. 

The fabric is Fox Tweed, which is heavy for tweed (17/18oz) however gentle for an overcoat. I nonetheless picked it due to how helpful I’d discovered my Liverano tweed coat, in a fair lighter tweed (the PS Harris Tweed), and since I knew how a lot I preferred the standard. 

(When speaking about fabric, ‘high quality’ refers to not how good it’s, however the explicit mixture of yarn, weave and end – all the pieces besides the color principally.)

I had additionally seen the identical fabric used as a jacket on our buddy, the editor Paul Croughton, and the yarn colors have been the identical as the PS houndstooth tweed, so total this tweed was a fairly protected wager. As I’ve talked about not too long ago, I more and more make fabric decisions on this foundation. It may possibly appear boring, however I positively make fewer (costly) errors than I did up to now. 

An instance of that is utilizing De Le Cuona fabric for latest commissions, which labored out nicely for this cream jacket however much less so for this orange one. The difficulty with the latter was that it proved to be bolder than anticipated, so it nonetheless will get worn however solely in fairly explicit circumstances (each heat and barely dandy TPO (time/place/event)).

The primary becoming with Steven was good, and this second one had virtually all the pieces nailed. It was what I anticipated from Steven, principally, which is at all times good.

Within the picture above you may see the distinctive mixture of a smooth, pure shoulder however particular sleevehead and full sleeve. One of many methods wherein Steven differs from Anderson & Sheppard, the place he initially skilled, is that he likes a cleaner end to elements just like the sleeve, whereas retaining as a lot fullness as potential. The identical goes for the drape within the chest. 

It’s now 26 years since Steven arrange on his personal, and I’d solely confer with A&S to those who don’t know him in any respect, for fast context. To others I’d describe this mix of consolation and cleanliness, softness and magnificence, which is he has refined over that point. You’ll be able to see it within the jackets beneath he has made for me through the years – and naturally all examples might be seen on his devoted web page, like all manufacturers/makers. 

The coat is a basic 6×2 double-breasted (six buttons, of which two on the skin might be mounted) with turnback cuffs and what Steven calls a guardsman’s again. I’ll go into extra particulars within the full assessment article in a couple of weeks, however the turnback cuffs have been the one design element I allowed myself (and even then, as a result of they may very well be so simply eliminated). 

One of many belongings you usually study slowly with bespoke is that ‘fashion’ is extra concerning the total outfit than the person piece, and that subsequently it’s good to not get obsessive about plenty of design particulars. If all the garments have that, they’ll be a multitude when all put collectively. 

I’m really working with a consultancy consumer in the meanwhile who’s coming to tailoring for the primary time, and it’s attention-grabbing to see how buried he has shortly turn out to be within the particulars – regardless of being middle-aged, wealthy and profitable. I don’t suppose we ever study these classes except really identified to us, or we undergo the method ourselves. 

Fittings with Steven now happen in his flat/workroom in Fitzrovia, as he and Celia reside exterior London more often than not. It really works nicely – the place feels private however skilled, and he has management over it, in contrast to utilizing a fabric service provider’s premises or lodge suite. It’s additionally 5 minutes from our showroom. 

Steven now successfully closes his books every year when he has as many orders as he can take, and I believe that is usually a very good strategy for bespoke artisans. 

It’s at all times tempting to take additional cash, however this strategy means they’ve safety in what isn’t essentially essentially the most dependable career, they usually can move that onto the coatmakers, finishers and others that work for them. 

It additionally rewards repeat clients, who usually have the prospect to re-order earlier than the e book is opened to new clients. And it means all clients get a constant product, with out delays attributable to fluctuations in demand. In spite of everything, except there are makers sitting round doing nothing (very uncommon nowadays) the one means for small operations to take care of further demand is to increase ready occasions. Which no one desires.

The fabric is TD20 from the Fox Brothers ‘Fox Tweed’ bunch. The coat price £6500 plus VAT; the beginning worth for an overcoat is £5900 plus VAT.

The completed coat shall be reviewed in a couple of weeks. I am going to discuss elements just like the again and the button alternative then.